Garter



B. WOLF GARTER Filed Nov. 12, 1928 BENZ/0N WOLF Patented NOV. 26, 1929 IBENZION WOLF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS GARTER Application filed November- 12, 1928. Serial No. 318,661.

My invention relates to garters and particularly to garters which are adapted to be supportedat a point adjacent and above the ankle 4 of the wearer.

,6 It has heretofore been common practice, particularly among men, to employ garters of an elastic type which are designed to encircle the wearers leg at a point below the knee. Garters of this type present an elastic band which yieldingly encircles the wearers leg and compresses the same with sufficient force to prevent the band from being downwardly displaced when the wearers stocking is supported thereby. Persons afflicted with enlarged veins, or persons having skin which is readily-irritated by the application of elastic bands and the like, cannot satisfactorily employ garters of that-type. In some instances it has been found undesirable to wear the conventional elastic band type of garter for the reason that circulation of the blood stream is impaired.

In general, one of the primary objects of my present invention is to provide a garter of an anatomic nature which will positively avoid the above mentioned and other unsatisfactory results which have heretofore been experienced by wearers of known types of elastic band garters.

More specifically, my invention contemplates the provision of a garter which may be worn without experiencing'any binding or pressure upon the wearers leg and hence which will permit of free blood circulation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an anatomic garter Which may be applied at a point immediately above the wearers ankle, this being a point at which the application of a band will not afiect circulation .40 and to this end I propose to employ either an elastic or non-elastic band which may be conveniently applied.

A still further and more specific object of my invention is to provide a garter construction which consists of a band of either elastic or non-elastic material which may be applied,

for example, at a point immediately above the wearers ankle, said band being provided with one or a plurality of upwardly extending 0 members which are adapted, at their upper extremities, to be secured to the upper margin of the stocking, thereby providing an effective means for upholding the stocking in proper position without necessitating the use of a tightly fitting elastic band at a point above the stocking.

These and other objects will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptlon of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view disclosing the application of one embodiment of the invention to the leg of a wearer;

Figure 2 discloses the garter as viewed from the left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of the garter shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 3;

vFigure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken 7 substantially along the line 55 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of an alternative or modified form of garter.

Referring now to the drawing more in de- 7 tail wherein I have employed like numerals to designate similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be observed that for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of my invention, I have shown a garter indicated so generally by the numeral 10, Figure 3. This garter 10 includes a flexible memberor band 12 which is adapted to be applied aboutthe wearers leg as shown in Figures 1 and 2 at a point above the ankle. The extremities of the member or band 12 may be secured together in any suitable manner such as by means by a buckle 14.

Secured to the intermediate portion of the band 12 and extending laterally thereof is a support member 16. In the particular embodiment disclosed, this support member 16 is arranged at substantially right angles with respect to the band 12 and comprises a pair of strips 18 and 20 which are secured together in any suitable manner as by means of stitching 22, Figures 4 and 5. The distance between the two vertical rows of innermost stitching 22 is sufficient to permit a stay or reinforcing member 24 to be inserted between the strips 18 and 20 atthe intermediate section thereof. In other words, a pocket 25 is presented intermediate the strips 18 and 20 which is adapted to receive the reinforcing member 24, the lower extremity of the strips having a stitching 26, Figure 3, extending across said pocket so as to prevent the stay or reinforcing member 24 from being displaced downwardly below a redetermined point. This pocket presente between the strips 18 and 20 is 0 en at the upper end so as to readily allow or the insertion of the sta 24. 4

ecured to the upper extremity of the strips 18 and 20 is a suitable fastening device 28 which is adapted to be swungeoutwardly and downwardly in a position to secured to the upper margin of a stockin 30. Thus it will be apparent that the stoc 'ng Wlll be supported in its proper position upon the wearer through the agency of the reinforced strips of the supporting member 16. Any tendency to move the support 16 and consequently the band 12 downwardly, will be counteracted by reason of the fact that said band is positioned above the wearers ankle. By having this construction it is not necessary to tightly encircle the wearers leg with-the band because the enlarged area presented by the ankle will be sufiicient to prevent the band from slipping downwardly.

An alternative or modified form of garter I is shown in Figure 6 which I have designated generall by the numeral 10. The only difference between the garter 10 of Figure 6 and the garter 10 of Fi ure 3 is that the garter 10 is equipped wit a plurality of supporting members or strips 16. The garter 10 may be used in instances where the stock ing is subjected to considerable forces which tend to disturb the position of the stocking.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I my invention contemplates the provision of an anatomic garter which lends itself particularly adaptablefor application to the lower portion of the wearer invention contemplates the use of a garter of similar design in other ositions. For example, the band 12 might e applied to a point above the wearers knee and thereby render the same adaptable for use in supporting stockings of the elongated type. In this connection it is to be understood that the material comprising the band 12 and the supporting strips may be of elastic or non-elastic construction. In some instances where a close fit between the band 12 and the wearers leg is desired, the buckle 14 may be entirely eliminated and supplanted by other suitable inconspicious fastening devices and, if desirable, the band 12 may comprise an endless elastic band. In such instances said band may he slipped over the wearers foot into ens'leg. However, my Y movable, the band 12 and associatedstrips 18 and 20, which are preferably constructed of fabric material, may be washed whenever the occasion demands. Ohe of the outstanding advantageous characteristics of my improved anatomic garter resides in the fact, that it is not secured in position solely by pressure upon the leg as is the case in known types of arters. By applying the band at a point which is least affected by pressure, the tendency for obstructing or im airing blood circulation is positively avoide Althoughit is not necessary to apply pressure at a point above the wearers ankle in order to maintain the position of the band 12, considerable pressure may be applied atthis point without causing any injury or discomfort. At least the discomforts which have heretofore been experienced when the garter has been worn at a position above the upper margin of the stocking are com letely obviated. A though I have illustrated and described an embodiment of my invention which employs a particular type of means for securin the extremities of the encircling band together, as well as a particular'type of device employed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. It might also be advisable, in certain instances, to vary the proportionate width and length of the various parts constituting the garter which would differ from that disclosed inthe various figures and such variations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present in vention. The reinforcmg member inserted within the pocket presented between the strips 18 and 20 may be comprised of any suitable rigid yet flexible material such as whale bone or the like. It will be apparent that this reinforcing member or stay will be completely covered by the strips 18 and 20 and hence the covering strips will be the only materials which are actually brought into direct contact with the wearers skin. By having the stay and strips constructed of proper material and by having said parts correctly shaped, said member will occupy an inconspicuousf' position adjacent the wearers leg and will serve as a positive means for securing a stocking in osition. In use, the band 12 of the garter is applied directly to the wearers skin immediately above the ankle and with the supporting member 16 extending upwardly along the surface of the .leg. The stocking is then pulled upwardly over the garter and the fastening device 28 swung outwardly and downwardly so as to engage with the portion of the stocking which is forced outwardly by the button of said fastening device at a point adjacent the margin of the stocking as clearly shown in Figure 1. Thus, the only portion of the garter which is not covered by the stocking is that portion of the fastening member which is swung over the upper margin of the stockin Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a garment support of the class described, a flexible band adapted to be applied above and to rest upon the ankle of a wearer, a supporting member secured to and extending upwardly from said flexible band, said supporting member including an elongated fabric strip provided with an elongated ocket and reinforcing member removably lnserted within said pocket for lending rigidity to said supporting means, and a garment fastening device secured to the upper extremity of said supporting means and depending therefrom in a position to receive the garment to be sup Jorted.

In witness whereoi, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

BENZION WOLF. 

